O'Neil analyzes developments in Latin America and U.S. relations in the region.

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff reacts during the signing ceremony of the Rio de Janeiro's international airport concession in Rio de Janeiro, April 2, 2014 (Ricardo Moraes/Courtesy Reuters).

In a widely expected move, the ratings agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) downgraded Brazil’s long term debt from a credit ranking of BBB to BBB- on March 24, bringing the country’s sovereign bonds a step closer to losing their “investment grade status” (defined as BBB- or above) and becoming “speculative” or “junk bonds.” The rating stems from a combination of indicators—including GDP growth, inflation, and external debt—that S&P uses to measure a country’s creditworthiness and its fiscal, regulatory, and political risks. Read more »